# Is "Artful" by Ali Smith a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Artful by Ali Smith (Hamish Hamilton, 2012) is identified by: Hardback in boards with gilt spine lettering, in dust jacket. The UK Hamish Hamilton edition of 2012 is the true first, preceding the US edition of 2013.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Hardback in boards with gilt spine lettering, in dust jacket
- A genre-blurring work adapted from four Oxford lectures (On Time, On Form, On Edge, On Offer and On Reflection), framed within a fictional narrative
- First impression carries a complete number line ending in 1
- Publisher imprint reads Hamish Hamilton
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Ali Smith |
| Publisher | Hamish Hamilton |
| Year | 2012 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Hardback in boards with gilt spine lettering, in dust jacket |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
Hardback in boards with gilt spine lettering, in dust jacket. A genre-blurring work adapted from four Oxford lectures (On Time, On Form, On Edge, On Offer and On Reflection), framed within a fictional narrative. First impression carries a complete number line ending in 1.

## Is this the true first?
The UK Hamish Hamilton edition of 2012 is the true first, preceding the US edition of 2013.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later impressions are indicated by a number line that no longer ends in 1.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Artful* by Ali Smith a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/artful
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.